In clear setback for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has attributed primary responsibility for the massive crowd gathering in Bengaluru, which resulted in a stampede later, to the RCB management and the event management company involved – DNA Networks.
This decision came after an investigation into the stampede, which happened near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations, claiming 11 lives and leaving several injured. The investigation revealed a lack of clarity in the chain of command and conflicting directions from authorities, contributing to the chaos.
The stampede, which happened near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations, claimed 11 lives and left several injured. In the aftermath of this stampede, the state government suspended the then Additional Commissioner of Police, IPS Officer Vikash Kumar Vikash who later challenged his suspension before the CAT.
CNBC TV18 reports that while hearing the matter on Tuesday (July 1), the CAT Bengaluru bench, consisting of judicial member Justice BK Shrivastava and member Santosh Mehra, observed that the police did not get time to make arrangements for crowd management since RCB “suddenly posted” about the victory celebration on social media platforms, without seeking prior permission.
The CAT order reads, “Police personnel are also human beings. They are neither God nor magician and also not having the magic powers like “Alladdin ka Chirag” which was able to fulfil any wish only by rubbing a finger”
Key points from the CAT order:
*It appears that without obtaining the permission from the police or without the consent of concerned police officers, the franchise of RCB placed the information to the public on social media platforms informing that there is free entry for people and inviting the public to participate in the victory parade.
*The first post received 16 lakh views and the second post received 4.26 lakh views and the third post received 7.6 lakh views while the fourth post received 17 lakh views. The aforesaid action of the RCB led the public gathering of immense proportion exceeding 3 lakh individuals.
*The capacity of the Stadium was 35,000 while around 3 lakh people gathered around the stadium. At that moment it was not possible for the police to make the arrangements.
*Prima facie it appears that the RCB is responsible for the gathering of about 3 to 5 lakh people. The RCB did not take the appropriate permission or consent from the police. Suddenly, they posted on social media platforms and as a result of aforesaid information the public were gathered. Because of shortage of time on June 4, the police was unable to do the appropriate arrangements. Sufficient time was not given to the police.
*The RCB created the aforesaid type of nuisance without any prior permission. It cannot expected from the police that within a short time of about 12 hours the police will make all arrangements required in the Police Act or in the other rules, etc.
*Police personnel are also human beings. They are neither “God” (Bhagwan) nor Magician and also not having the magic powers like “Alladdin ka Chirag” which was able to fulfil any wish only by rubbing a finger. To control the aforesaid type of gathering and for making the proper arrangements.
The bench also directed the Karnataka government to reinstate officer Vikash Kumar Vikash in the post he held. CAT said that the suspension order “has been passed in a mechanical manner and the order is not based upon any convincing materials. The police officers have been suspended without any sufficient material or grounds.”
